Dr. Meschke is an environmental and occupational health microbiologist, specializing in the fate, transport, detection and control of pathogens in environmental media (air, water, food and surfaces). He is Associate Chair and Graduate Program Coordinator for the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences.
Dr. Meschke is an environmental and occupational health microbiologist, specializing in the fate, transport, detection and control of pathogens in environmental media (air, water, food and surfaces). Dr. Meschke is a member of several professional organizations, including: the American Society for Microbiology, the International Water Association, the American Water Works Association, the International Association for Food Protection and the International Society of Exposure Science.
Development of methods for detection of viruses and bacteria in water and food. Environmental surveillance for viruses. Market prevalence of foodborne pathogens. Recovery of bacterial and viruses from surfaces. Freshwater toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Viruses of anaerobic digesters. Microbiological quality of produce. Irrigation and produce wash-water quality. Bioaerosol sampling. Quantitative microbial risk assessment. Health and environmental co-benefits of adaptive responses to climate impacts. Infection control. Indicators of fecal contamination. Comparative adsorption of enteric viruses in soil and groundwater. Phage ecology. Survival and persistence of pathogenic microorganisms. Impact of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) on microbiological quality of water, soil and vegetation. Alternative methods of water and wastewater disinfection. Surface disinfection. Biosafety. Mathematical models for exposure assessment. Policy implications of infectious agents. Poliovirus eradication.
Endotoxins. Agricultural safety and health. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bioaerosols. CAFOs. Drinking water. Environmental and public health microbiology. Food contaminants. Microbial, gram-negative bacteria. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Mold. Molecular methods for infectious virus detection. Norwalk-like virus. Pathogen detection techniques. Soil sampling. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Water quality. Solid wastes and waste disposal. Waterborne pathogenic microorganisms.
Available to mentor new Master's students in autumn 2025. Please follow the instructions on the How To Apply page.
Interests: Detection of viruses and bacteria in water and food. Environmental surveillance for viruses. Market prevalence of foodborne pathogens. Freshwater toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Viruses of anaerobic digesters. Microbiological quality of produce. Irrigation and produce wash-water quality. Bioaerosol sampling. Quantitative microbial risk assessment. Health and environmental co-benefits of adaptive responses to climate impacts. Infection control. Indicators of fecal contamination. Comparative adsorption of enteric viruses in soil and groundwater. Phage ecology. Survival and persistence of pathogenic microorganisms. Microbiological quality of water, soil and vegetation. Alternative methods of water and wastewater disinfection. Surface disinfection. Biosafety. Mathematical models for exposure assessment. Policy implications of infectious agents. Poliovirus eradication. Endotoxins. Agricultural safety and health. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Mold. Pathogen detection. Solid wastes and waste disposal. Waterborne pathogenic microorganisms.
ENVH 440/545 Water, Wastewater, & Health
ENVH 451/541 Ecology of Environmentally Transmitted Microbiological Hazards
ENV H 452 Detection and Control of Environmentally Transmitted Microbiological Hazards
ENV H 543 Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment
